Bittersweet
by Fangirl21
Summary: When Abby visits Joe for the first time weeks after he wakes up, tempers flare and more than hearts are broken. What will happen when two of the best spies around go head to head, and will they ever make up? OSOT hasn't happened.


**A/N: Hey guys! This is my new story, obviously. I've never really liked Abby/Townsend (I mean, they'd be awesome for each other if Joe didn't exist, but he does, so yeah), and I completely HATE Rachel/Joe, so here is some lovely Abby/Joe nonsense. Also, guys, please don't hate me. I just suck really bad at writing fight scenes. I like BS'd the whole thing. Sowwy!**

"So, Abby" said Joe, his arms crossed over his chest. "Glad to see you finally dropped by." Lying in his cot in the Gallagher Academy hospital wing, Joe Solomon looked as innocent and harmless as any other civilian, but Abby Cameron knew the truth was the complete opposite.

Abby simply shrugged. "You know. I've just been busy."

"Interesting. I woke up three weeks ago and you only visit me today," Joe said.

Abby shrugged again, making a noncommittal noise. She just wanted to leave. Abby had been avoiding Joe for a reason these past few weeks, but when she came to Gallagher today, Rachel had literally shoved her inside Joe's room and it would be too awkward to leave without saying anything. "I told you, I've been busy."

Joe cocked his head slightly. "Really? Because from what I hear, you're off frolicking with Edwin."

"You're not serious, are you?" asked Abby incredulously. "You're just like Zach. Calling Edward 'Edwin?' Don't be jealous, Joe, it doesn't suit you."

"You didn't deny it," replied Joe, sitting up a little straighter.

Abby laughed like she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "For your information, Joe, that's none of your business."

"Is it Edwin's?" asked Joe coolly.

Abby started to get angry. There was no one like Joe who knew how to get under her skin so much. Sure he was just as skilled in cheering her up, but when they had a spat like this one, no one - not even Rachel - could match the fiery rage Joe caused in Abby. "I don't know why you're complaining when you've been living it up with Rachel here," she said, a trace of bitterness leaking into her voice.

Joe only raised his eyebrows. "I have, actually, because you were too busy doing God knows what with Edwin."

This only made Abby angrier. "Oh, so you admit it? Well then I guess now you know Rachel is better at caring, too! Better in school, better in looks, better in spy smarts, and now caring! I guess that makes everything!"

"Wasn't she already?" asked Joe in a mocking voice. His green eyes were calm and collected, but Abby could see the fire in them.

Abby looked at him, an icy smile spreading across her previously anger ridden face. "How would you know if you were in a coma for the past six months? Or how about working for the Circle before that?"

Joe's eyes flashed and before Abby could blink he was out of his hospital bed and in front of her, wearing only a t-shirt and boxers. Somewhere in the back of Abby's mind she wondered what Cammie and her classmates would think if they saw Joe like that, but the thought disappeared almost instantly because right now Abby didn't give a crap. "Abby. You KNOW I wasn't working for them," said Joe, attempting to keep his cool.

"Am I supposed to believe you? The whole CIA thinks you're guilty, and I can't say there's much evidence in your favor. You're a blacklisted spy who can't even walk for two minutes straight. You're pathetic," Abby spat. The blows they were dealing at each other were just getting lower and lower at a faster pace; and while Abby would have normally never said anything of the sort, right now she didn't care whose little feelings she hurt.

"At least I'm not a fucking tramp who sleeps with every guy she sees, and then cries like a little baby when her older sister turns out to be better at her!" Joe snapped angrily. He had never felt like this before. He felt like some madman, ready to kill something.

"Oh? Well excuse me, the manwhore of the century should really look in a mirror. At least I haven't killed innocent people at the age of sixteen!" Abby snarled.

"Abby, you've killed more people than me and technically you're not even in the CIA! I think the blood of more people is on your hands, darling," Joe said, the words designed to hurt.

"That's a lot coming from the man who killed Matthew Morgan!" Abby snarled. For half a second she wondered if maybe she'd gone too far, but she couldn't do anything now.

"Back at ya, bitch," Joe hissed, his eyes unreadable. Anger ready to burst in both of them, they stared each other down until they both dived sideways to get a weapon - books, the chair, a plastic knife, anything. Abby got lucky and got hold of the scissors kept for cutting bandages; Joe had to grab the metal folding chair and ripped off a leg. Within seconds Abby was holding several mini knives from ripping the scissors in half and Joe was holding two metal batons he had fashioned from the chair legs.

Not wasting a second, Abby started throwing the knives at Joe, her anger not messing up her incredible accuracy. Unfortunately, Joe had sparred enough with Abby to know exactly how she fought, so as he saw the knives flying towards him, he bent backwards at an almost impossible angle and then flew back up. One delayed knife came and slashed his cheek, making blood drip on his face.

Growling, Joe lunged forward and swung his batons at Abby, none of them making contact. "I see you're losing your touch, Joseph," snarled Abby mockingly as she blocked the baton with her forearm. Hissing slightly, she knew there would be a huge bruise there within minutes.

Abby finally managed to get the metal chair legs away from Joe and she promptly threw them out the window. Now they were on an equal playing field; no weapons at all. Abby spun and kicked Joe's stomach, but he caught her leg in a death-grip and threw her against the wall, shattering the mirror. Shards of glass cutting both their skins, Abby barely wasted a moment before spinning out her leg on the floor, so fast that Joe couldn't move out of the way and he ended up on the floor next to her.

Abandoning every bit of spy training she had ever received, Abby tackled Joe and pinned him down, sitting on his stomach. In seconds Joe's face was assaulted by Abby's fists, as she pounded all her anger into his -previously- flawless face. Blood spurted from his nose and covered Abby's hands, but she was so angry at that moment, she couldn't think of anything but beating the shit out of Joe Solomon.

Of course, Joe being Joe, wouldn't be kept down for long and at the slightest second Abby paused to breathe, Joe rolled over and this time pinned Abby down. "You stupid bitch," he spat. But no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't use his strong fists to crush her face, so instead he rolled off and pulled her up by her shirt. Abby's shirt had a huge gash in the front now, but before she could move, Joe slammed his fist into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

Abby sucked in a breath and blinked away the haziness in her eyes, and she staggered forward towards the center of the now almost destroyed hospital room where Joe was standing. Slowly walking up to him, Abby stared at him, her blue eyes piercing his green, and then her hands darted forward, locking Joe in a choke hold. Joe must have been thinking along the same lines because Abby felt two large hands start crushing the air out of her own lungs milliseconds later. There they stood, two of the most elite spies in the CIA (or Secret Service for Abby), choking each other while both desperately tried not to be the first one to give up.

"And this, girls," a smooth voice floated in the room and both Abby and Joe immediately glanced towards the door, hands still ever-present at each other's throats. Rachel walked in followed by a gaggle of what looked like incoming students.

Rachel felt a small smile forming as she took in Abby's wild hair and Joe's bloodied face and how their clothes were ripped every which way and their bodies covered in blood, sweat, and dust. Glancing around, Rachel wasn't surprised to see the room completely destroyed, with the curtains ripped, shards of glass everywhere, and just general chaos.

"And this, girls," Rachel repeated in an amused tone. "This is what happens two of the best spies around go head to head."

At this Joe dropped his hands from Abby's neck and stepped back, coughing slightly. Abby did the same, rubbing her neck. The students all had wide eyes as they peered at Joe and Abby from behind Rachel.

"Uh. Hello, ladies," Joe said. Pulling himself together, he stood straighter and said smoothly, "I hope to see you all in CoveOps. I'm your teacher, Joe Solomon. This is Agent Abigail Cameron, an agent from the Secret Service. I'm sure you'll be seeing her around."

"Thank you, Mr. Solomon," Rachel said, clasping her hands together. "Well, we should move on girls. We have a lot of the academy to tour yet."

"Goodbye ladies, Headmistress Morgan," Joe said, waving a hand lazily. As soon as they left, Joe turned slowly back to Abby. She was staring at him with an expression that he'd seen Cammie use before. They both stared at each other blankly until Abby began inching closer to him. Joe blinked and watched Abby cautiously; all his anger and adrenaline had worn off while talking to Rachel and now he only felt a huge tiredness and vague feeling towards Abby, but who knew if she was still angry or not.

"Joe," she said, finally close enough to touch him. She looked into his green eyes, searching, and he looked back into her bright blue ones. Then suddenly her arms were around his neck and somehow her lips found his as she stood on tip-toe.

Joe quickly recovered from his surprise and immediately started kissing Abby back, his hands finding their way around her waist and in her long, tangled hair. He put all of his passion and thoughts and emotion into the kiss, and Abby reciprocated her soft lips moving against his. She tasted blood and sweat and _Joe_ on his lips, so she kept on kissing.

When they finally pulled apart, Joe was breathing hard and was surprised to see tears in Abby's eyes, her lashes wet and dark. "I'm so sorry, Joe," Abby said in a strained voice. He stared down at her in shock, slowly realizing that this was the first time she had ever completely lowered her walls in front of him. At this realization, Joe's own walls crumbled, and he reached out and tucked a dirty strand of hair behind Abby's ear.

"Don't be," he whispered and pulled Abby into a tight embrace. She leaned into him, resting her head on his chest. "If anything, it's me to blame. I started it. I'm so sorry," Joe said. "I was just being a jealous idiot. I'm sorry."

"No, really. It's my fault. I was just being jealous of you and Rachel. It's just that she's always been seen as better; she was the golden daughter. I just couldn't stand seeing you and her being all mushy gushy," Abby whispered, wiping blood off Joe's face with the back of her hand.

"It's my fault," both Joe and Abby said at the same time. This caused them to laugh and Abby hugged Joe back tightly.

"Edwin is no match for you," she said, and leaned up to kiss Joe's nose.

He grinned down at her, and pulled her in closer, his arm snaking around her waist. "He better hope not." Pulling a Zach, Joe smirked and leaned in to kiss Abby before she could protest. Making out like teenagers in the middle of the destroyed room, Abby and Joe hardly had time to think before an ear-splitting scream came.

Pulling apart, Abby whipped her head towards the door and saw Cammie's petite blond friend Liz standing there, her mouth open. Bex was next to her who yelled "Bloody hell!" and grabbed Liz's wrist and went skidding down the hall. "Cam! Macey! You'll never believe what we just saw!" Bex was screaming down the hall as Liz tried to keep up with her.

"Ah, well," Joe said, in a slightly rueful tone. He grinned at Abby. "The whole school will know by tomorrow morning, then?"

"Oh, shut up and kiss me."


End file.
